


There Was a Connection

by aleia



Series: No Game Whatsoever [4]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Anxiety, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Sexual Situations, Canon-Typical Violence, First Time, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2020-12-24 17:02:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21102908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleia/pseuds/aleia
Summary: Ransom: Remember when Mashkov said hi to Jack and then looked at me and there was, like, a connection? Holster: that was yesterday





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote most of this two years ago before getting stuck. I decided to post it because I'm not sure when I'll be unstuck, but I'll keep trying. Maybe posting will help. This isn't betad but I read it myself a lot of times. Feel free to tell me if you find mistakes and I'll go fix them.

Ransom tells himself that he’s going to be good being a supportive NHL boyfriend even if they haven’t said the word _boyfriend_ yet. They’ve only been on one date and Ransom hasn’t seen Tater since. Bitty has been back and forth between Providence and Samwell so much that he’s actually done his homework on the train instead of just saying that he’s going to. Bitty is flying to New York for a weekend where apparently Fitzgerald’s girlfriend promised to help him study for his math final so Jack doesn’t feel bad letting him go to New York when he needs to study.

Ransom knows he can’t expect that. Bitty and Jack have been together almost a year and they were friends before that. Having Bitty around _helps_ Jack. Ransom still isn’t sure what helps Tater. Plus, they’ve only kissed once, so it would not be appropriate for Ransom to practically move in the way Bitty has.

Tater still texts him every day. After they lose the fourth game of the first round, Ransom isn’t sure what to do. It’s easy to know what to do when they win. It’s easy to text congratulations. Texting after a loss is harder. Ransom wants to text Bitty for help, but he’s in New York at the game with Bob and Alicia.

**Ransom:** You were amazing.

It takes Tater a while to answer, but he probably went straight to press, so Ransom isn’t surprised.

**Tater:** Thank you. You come to next game, yes? Zimms say he get his friends tickets.  
**Ransom:** I’ll be there. He’s ridiculous. The tickets are right at the glass.  
**Tater:** Yes. Is good. I try to pay him back for yours so I can say I get yours. He say Bad Bob buy that game. Bob already win 3 times. I let him pay.  
**Ransom:** I think that’s fair.  
**Tater:** So I see you and I win for you. I get kiss for win?  
**Ransom:** Yeah, no, I’m going to want to kiss you even if you don’t, but ok.  
**Tater:** Ha. Well then. I win so Zimmbonni let me celebrate after.  
**Ransom:** Yeah. Holster promised he will help me sneak off from the group if we go out after.

Figuring out cars for the game on Thursday is an issue. Only Dex and Chowder have class on Friday, but Nursey will probably go back to campus with them. Lardo will ride to the game with the Samwell group but stay with Shitty through the weekend. Ransom obviously wants the option to stay or not stay.

“You’ve gone on one date,” Holster says. “What are you trying to do here? Do you just want the option to go out after and stay later and crash in Jack’s guestroom and come home the next day? Sleep with Tater? Stay the whole weekend and maybe go to game six if there is a game six?”

“I don’t know. Jack said I can crash if I want,” Ransom says.

“Cool. So, I’ll ask if I can crash, and we’ll just say we want the option to party. If you want to crash in Jack’s guestroom with me, then you can. If you want to stay longer, we’ll figure it out.”

Ransom loves Holster.

The day of the game, Ransom ends up with Holster and Lardo in his car. He wishes it was Holster and Bitty so he could actually talk about Tater, but Chowder claims Bitty for his car to help him control Dex and Nursey. Lardo wants away from that mess. Lardo teases him about Tater, but he just shrugs. She’s quiet just long enough for Ransom to think she got distracted.

“You know we’re not going to be weird about it since you came out, right?” Lardo asks.

Ransom turns in the passenger seat so he can see her.

“Are you asking for you or the entire team?”

“We just want you to know it’s okay.”

“It’s fine,” Ransom says. “It’s not because I came out. It’s just that we’ve met him. He’s a person now and not a celebrity. It feels weird.”

It’s not a total lie. Lardo nods and drops it, so maybe it worked. Everyone at least knows he went to the other game with Bitty. They just think it was a birthday present from Jack and of course, Tater volunteered to hang out with Ransom while Bitty and Jack had time alone.

**Jack:** Can you try to text Tater and calm him down? He’s more wound up about you watching than he is about this game.  
**Ransom:** I’m sorry. Any idea what I should say to him?  
**Jack:** He just really wants to impress you. Maybe tell him you’re impressed either way. It’s true anyway.

**Ransom:** Hey. You know I’m going to like you no matter how this game goes, right?  
**Tater:** Zimmboni text you, yes?  
**Ransom:** Yeah. But it’s true. Go back and read Bitty’s twitter. I said all that before you made the playoffs.  
**Tater:** Ha. Yes. Is true.  
**Ransom:** And before I ever kissed you. Now I’ve kissed you so I’m sure I want to do it again.  
**Tater:** Me too.  
**Ransom:** And I just want to support you. Not make you nervous. If games go bad, I just want to be there to make you feel better. Basically, I’m going to hug you a lot after no matter how it goes.  
**Tater:** Thank you. Maybe I not be mad Zimmboni tell you I worry.  
**Ransom:** You text Bitty when you think Jack should and he doesn’t. You gave him this idea. And I’m going to thank him, so being mad isn’t going to work.

**Jack:** Thanks. We’ll stop by you guys at warmups. It’s easy with everyone there and my parents.  
**Ransom:** Thanks for telling me.  
**Jack:** Just let me take him away when I try. The guys are suspicious from how he’s acting. I don’t want them to figure it out before he wants them to.

Bob and Alicia meet them at the door with Shitty. Bob is wearing Jack’s jersey and hat, and he and Shitty are sharing the most obnoxious glittered sign that Ransom has ever seen that says **WE LOVE YOU JACK ZIMMERMANN**.

Bob and Shitty buy a ridiculous amount of junk at the concession stand and pass it around for everyone to carry. Bob claims he just can’t make a decision, but it’s clearly an excuse to pay for everyone. He sends them ahead after the fourth time he gets stopped for a picture.

They make it to their seats, and Bob and Alicia join them just as all the guys come out for warm ups. Bitty sticks close to him and Ransom understands why when Bob looks at Bitty and nods before moving to the other side of the group. Right. They’ll be in less pictures if they’re further from Bob. Jack sees Shitty with his huge sign and laughs before coming over with Tater. Ransom can tell Tater tries to greet everyone, but his eyes run over Ransom and he smiles when he sees Ransom is wearing his jersey. Holster’s wearing a Mashkov shirt also so that Ransom’s not the only one.

“We see each other after game, yes?” Tater says to him like he doesn’t already know.

“Yeah,” Ransom smiles and considers telling him that he and Holster are going to stay longer either way, but now doesn’t seem like the right time to bring that up. Plus, Jack will probably kill him if he makes Tater distracted.

Bob gets interviewed during one of the intermissions, but other than that, the people around them mostly leave him alone. Jack scores the first goal and the game winner, but Tater assisted on both of them, so Tater gets the second star. He gives his autographed stick to Holster with a pointed look.

“He’s lucky I love you. I should keep this,” Holster says as he passes the stick to Ransom a minute later.

“You are officially the best best bro ever!” Chowder says before Ransom has a chance.

“I’d say he’ll get me back,” Holster says, “but we stopped tracking that shit years ago.”

Bob waits for some of the crowd to clear out before he leads them to a back door. No one questions them because who is going to tell Bad Bob Zimmermann that he can’t go find his son after said son just won the first round of playoffs?

By the time they get to the outside of the locker room, Jack and Tater are coming out. They’re not the only friends who made their way back. Jack and Tater are still damp from showering by the time they weave through the small crowd outside the locker room to their group. Jack hugs Bitty first and then his parents for a long time while Tater goes around hugging everyone else. By the time Tater gets to him, Ransom can hope everyone else is too distracted by Jack to notice that Tater holds him longer. It’s still too soon when Jack pulls them apart to hug Ransom. At least he looks sorry about it.

Ransom only half listens as Jack tells everyone else that they should leave their cars at his place if they’re going out with the team. Tater is still next to him, pushed so close that the back of his hand occasionally brushes against Ransom. Then Jack is pulling Tater away again to go back to the locker room.

Holster elbows him to get him moving and they all follow Bob through the hallways to the lot that has at least started to clear. Lardo follows them to the car, but she just grabs her stuff to take to Shitty’s car. Bitty moves his bag to their car because the frogs can’t get into the bar and they have class tomorrow.

“Shitty has class tomorrow, so we’re just going to have a drink with Jack and go back,” Lardo says.

“Dude,” Holster says as soon as the car is moving. “Do you want to fake sick or something? Watching you guys try not to touch was painful.”

“He can’t get just ditch the team,” Ransom says.

The drive to Jack’s is short and they’ve just dropped their stuff in the guestroom when Ransom’s phone lights up.

**Tater:** I come home before bar. Wait for me at Zimmboni place?  
**Ransom:** Of course.  
**Tater:** Is ok if we bit late. Zimmboni not see B in 4 days. Everyone blame them. )))

“I’m hiding in this room until one of you tells me it’s safe,” Holster says after Ransom tells him the plan.

It still seems like forever before the door to the apartment opens. Jack passes by him to find Bitty in his his room and then Tater is standing in front him. He leans toward Ransom immediately and hesitates just before their lips touch. Ransom moves to meet him. This time there’s no awkward fumbling for space in a car. Tater holds him close with one hand on the small of his back and one hand on the back of his neck.

“You were amazing,” Ransom says when he pulls back.

“Zimmboni score goals.”

“Yeah, well, that’s because you helped him.”

Tater laughs and kisses him again.

“You need to go back tonight?” Tater asks when they pull back just enough to talk.

“No. My one goal for my senior year was no Friday classes. Holster and I are hanging around here.”

“You stay with Zimmboni or…” Tater looks away as he trails off.

“I figured we can decide later. I _can_ stay with Jack.”

Tater nods. Ransom can’t help moving to kiss him again. He’s still getting used to how different it is to kiss someone taller and larger than him after two years of mostly dating March. None of the guys he’s hooked up with have ever been bigger than him. He doesn’t have a physical type. Maybe he just likes loud and overly friendly people. They don’t need to be tall for him to hide behind them when he’s stressed.

“We’re coming out now,” Jack calls from the hallway, so Ransom sighs and pulls away. Part of him thinks that the sooner they get going, the sooner they can get back, but he’s still not sure where he’s sleeping. Tater slips his hand down Ransom’s arm and threads their fingers together. When Ransom looks at him, he’s blushing, so Ransom squeezes his hand.

Jack, Bitty, and Holster come into the living room, and Jack doesn’t bother chirping them. Maybe because his hair is obviously more of a mess than it was a few minutes ago.  
The Falconers have taken over the entire back room in the bar and it’s obvious that most of the team came straight from the game. The older guys don’t have their wives with them though.

“Gabby will get here as soon as she can get him to sleep,” Marty says when Bitty asks about her.

It should be the best party of Ransom’s life, but it only takes half an hour for him to want to leave. Jack and Bitty have to be careful because of the bar staff, but they can still take chances that Ransom and Tater can’t. The team knows about Jack and Bitty, so when a group crowds into a circular booth, Jack can rest his hand on Bitty’s thigh under the table. Holster sticks with Ransom and Tater so Ransom doesn’t feel like he’s just randomly following Tater along and it works, but it doesn’t feel like he’s Tater’s date at all.

It’s Marty who makes the call that they should all start heading home. They’ve only won the first round of the playoffs, and they need to take the time to rest while they can get it. He makes a point to say this to the younger guys on the team especially. Marty turns back and walks over to Ransom just as Tater breaks away to say a round a farewells that would probably be weird for Ransom to follow him around for.

“Ransom, right?” Marty asks. “You played with Jack in college?”

“Yeah,” Ransom says. “For three years.”

“Well, I’m really glad you could make it tonight. It was great to meet you,”

“Yeah,” Ransom says. “It was great of Jack to invite us.”

Marty smiles and nods. He waves a quick goodbye to Holster and walks away to either say his own goodbyes or make sure everyone else is doing it.

“That was weird, right?” Ransom asks Holster after Marty is out of earshot. “He should’ve been saying that to both of us.”

“It was a little weird,” Holster says. “But it’s not like he’s going to say anything if he suspects.”

Ransom agrees, but he still motions for Holster to walk in in the middle when Tater comes back. Tater gives Ransom a questioning look when Holster sits between them in the back of Jack’s SUV, but he doesn’t say anything.

Of course, Holster isn’t subtle when they get back to the apartment building.

“I’m going to go take a really long shower,” Holster says before they’re even inside Jack’s apartment. He winks at Tater and walks past them so he can get in the door as soon as Jack opens the door.

Jack laughs and takes a key off a hook by the door and hands it to Ransom.

“In case you need it. We’ll be busy,” Jack says before letting Bitty pull him to the bedroom.

“I hate all of you!” Ransom calls after them. When he turns back to Tater, Tater isn’t looking at him.

“Can say goodbye now if you want,” Tater mumbles.

“Is that what you want?” Ransom asks.

Tater shrugs.

“Hey,” Ransom says as he moves closer to Tater. He cups Tater’s cheek and lifts his chin gently so Tater looks at him. “I kind of wanted to spend more time with you, but it’s okay if you’re tired or just not ready yet.”

“I think maybe you change mind. Not sit with me on way back,” Tater says.

“Hey, no,” Ransom leans forward to press a chaste kiss to Tater’s lips. “I’m sorry. I wanted to. I was just trying not to be obvious. Marty seemed kind of suspicious, so I thought maybe if he saw Holster sit next to you, it would throw him off.

Tater’s eyes shift from scared to curious.

“He say something?” Tater asks.

“Not really. He just kind of made a point to say it was great to meet me specifically. Like I was more significant than Holster.”

Tater nods but doesn’t look worried.

“He know me for long time,” Tater says. “I think maybe he suspect why I stop dating girls, but never say anything.”

“I don’t want to out you by accident.”

“Is okay,” Tater says. “I not tell Marty but is okay if he think. He seem to ask less about girls after Zimmboni come out. Maybe he pay more attention now.”

“Okay,” Ransom says. “Well, for the record, I’m open to going back to your place for a while. If you want. It’s okay if you don’t.”

Tater doesn’t answer right away, but he nods before Ransom freaks out and tells him to forget Ransom asked.

“I like you come over.”

They’ve barely stepped into Tater’s apartment when Ransom starts to second guess himself. The door closes behind them and Tater steps away before Ransom can pull him closer.

“You want drink?” Tater asks as he goes to the kitchen.

He’s already taking out two water bottles, so Ransom says, “Yeah, sure,” and takes one.

Tater drinks half of his own water, but makes no move to come closer when he sets the bottle down on the counter.

“Everything okay?” Ranson asks. He puts down his own bottle and takes a step toward Tater, but he doesn’t want to block Tater in when he suddenly won’t look at Ransom’s face.

“Yes, yes,” Tater says, but he’s lacking the cheerful enthusiasm Ransom is used to.

“I can go back to Jack’s apartment,” Ransom says.

“No. Sorry. I try, but—” Tater sighs and shakes his head. “Sorry. Is stupid.”

Ransom closes the gap between them enough that he can reach out and take Tater’s hand.

“It’s probably not stupid. Just tell me what’s going on.”

“I never,” Tater hesitates and sighs before finishing. “I never have man in my apartment before. I mean, I have. Teammates come over. But not man I want to be with.”

“Oh.” Ransom’s not even sure how to respond to that, but he knows he has to say something.

“We don’t have to do anything,” Ransom says. “We can just hang out. Get to know each other better.”

Tater nods but he’s still so tense. They definitely don’t have to do anything, but Ransom doesn’t want to leave and make Tater think he’s upset about it.

“Come sit with me?” Ransom asks, pulling just a little on the hand he’s holding, and Tater lets Ransom lead him to the couch. He sits down close to Tater but not so close that they’re pressed together.

“Can I ask something and you don’t have to answer?” Ransom asks and Tater gives him a small nod.

“Have you been with a man? It’s fine if you haven’t. It really is. It just might help if I’m not assuming anything.”

“In club. With just hands,” Tater says. “And then here I just try with women because is safer.”

“Okay,” Ransom says. It’s not what he was expecting. At all. But it’s not so shocking either. “Seriously. I’m not expecting anything tonight. We can just hang out. Or just make out. I _like_ you. I just wanted some more time with you and then I can go back to Jack’s. And maybe we can have brunch in the morning before I go back to Samwell?”

Tater finally looks up at him. He’s blushing all the way down his neck, but he smiles.

“Yes. I want spend time with you too. Sorry. Try not to be nervous, but is not working.”

“It’s okay if you’re nervous. But you don’t have to be, okay? I’m not going to push and I’m not going to get mad about it.” Ransom says.

“You been with other men, yes?” Tater asks, looking back down at his lap.

“Yeah. I dated a guy in high school for a little while. And I hooked up with guys a few times in college before I started dating March. She was my last girlfriend. We broke up a few weeks ago.”

Tater looks up at him.

“You just break up? Together long time?”

“Right. We didn’t talk about that, yet,” Ransom says.

“You don’t have to tell,” Tater says.

“It’s okay. We were always kind of casual. I think we just only dated each other after a while because we were too busy to date around. So, we were together about two years, but we even dated other people in the summers. I liked her, but it wasn’t love or anything. She’s moving to California after graduation so we just kind of called it off.”

“Is this like that for you?” Tater asks.

“No,” Ransom says, pulling on Tater’s hand a bit so Tater will look at him. “Honestly, if you’d expressed interest before we broke up, I would’ve just told her there was someone else I was really into and she would’ve been cool with it. For a while I thought it might turn into more with her, but the last few months? I think we were just too lazy to break up for a while.”

Tater nods, but he still looks unsure. Of course, he’s looked unsure since they walked into his apartment, so Ransom’s pretty sure it’s not all about March.

“Do I need to tell Bitty he can start tweeting about me again so you’ll know how into you I am?” Ransom asks. “Because that might get us both chirped to hell if we’re hanging with each other’s teams more.”

Tater laughs. It’s impossible not to smile back at him when his face lights up.

“No,” Tater says. “Though I do miss tweets. Maybe you just keep texting me.”

“Also, you look unfairly hot in a suit. Did I tell you that earlier? Holster said it was painful watching me try not to jump you.”

Tater smooths his hand over Ransom’s abs and then up his chest and down his shoulder. He traces the number 7 on Ransom’s arm.

“Is hard to have you in this all night and not touch,” Tater says.

“Well, we can touch now,” Ransom says. He leans in slowly enough for Tater to back away, but Tater meets his lips. For the first time, there’s no rush. They can take their time exploring each other’s mouths. After a few minutes, Ransom starts to lie back, but they’re both big guys and there’s no way they can both lie down on the couch unless Alexei lies on top of him. And he’s not sure Tater is ready for that, so Ransom pulls back instead.

“I don’t think we fit on this couch very well and moving to the bed seems like a big jump,” Ransom says even though he’s still close enough that he’s almost talking into Alexei’s mouth.

“Buying new couch tomorrow,” Tater says, kissing Ransom again as Ransom laughs. 

“I should sleep at Jack’s,” Ransom says when Tater pulls away a minute later.

“We have breakfast tomorrow? Or maybe lunch?” Tater asks because it’s late.

“Sounds good,” Ransom says.

“You go home after?” Tater asks.

“I don’t have to,” Ransom says. “You know Bitty isn’t leaving until Sunday night. Jack won’t kick me out as long as I’m out of the apartment some of the day.”

“Maybe we hang out and then I take you to dinner?” Alexei asks.

“I’m into that,” Ransom says kissing Tater again and lingering for awhile before he finally pulls back with a sigh and stands up.

Alexei walks him to the door and Ransom can’t help pushing him against the closed door and kissing him again. When he tries to leave Alexei stops him and kisses him against the wall next to the door while Ransom laughs.

“Okay, I’m really going now,” Ransom says. He kisses Alexei once more before he actually opens the door and smiles all the way back to Jack’s apartment. Thankfully, he did manage to stay long enough that the apartment is quiet. He takes a quick shower. Holster doesn’t wake up when Ransom crawls into bed to sleep.

***

Ransom wakes up to the sound of Jack making a protein shake. He has to remind himself that he can’t curse Jack for waking him up because it’s actually after ten a.m. and he’s the one crashing at Jack’s apartment so that he can see the guy he’s dating.

“Fucking Jack,” Holster mumbles as he wakes up and rolls over. Ransom can’t curse Jack, but Holster can.

“I’ll get coffee,” Ransom says. Holster mumbles something as Ransom gets up.

Jack smirks at Ransom when he comes in the kitchen, but he’s carrying a full cup of coffee to his bedroom for Bitty, so he doesn’t say anything. Ransom pours cream and a spoonful of sugar into one of the two mugs of coffee he pours and carries them back to the bedroom.

Holster groans but he sits up against the headboard and takes the coffee when Ransom hands it to him. They sit in silence until Holster’s cup is half empty.

“So, you did come back last night,” Holster says.

“It was too soon,” Ransom says.

“Are we going home today or hanging around?” Holster asks. “We should probably tell Chowder if we aren’t. He’ll be lonely.”

“I told Tater I’d stay until dinner. I can take the train if you want to go back. And you know Bitty is staying until Sunday night at least.”

“I can kill time if you want to drive back after dinner.”

Ransom looks down at his coffee because he has no idea how to answer that.

“Or you can shoot me a text if you think you’re going to want to stay,” Holster says. “I can leave whenever. I’m not going to get mad if you want to change plans last minute and I drive home alone.”

“I’m going to owe you so much,” Ransom says.

“You made me coffee,” Holster says. “And it’s new. If you still can’t figure out your plans in advance in three weeks, I’ll just start leaving you and it’ll be Jack’s problem.”

Ransom laughs.

“I’ll check with Tater, but how about we just say we’ll leave at 8? We can do an early dinner and they have practice tomorrow anyway. I can come back Sunday if I’m done studying. They have a few days before they have to play again.”

Ransom’s phone lights up and he grabs it.

**Tater:** Text me when you awake and we go eat.  
**Ransom:** I’m awake. Brunch in 20min?  
**Tater:** Yes. I come get you in 20. )))

“We’re going to brunch. Twenty minutes. You can come if you want. Tater probably won’t care.” Tater will understand, and they’ll have dinner to themselves. It seems shitty to just leave Holster by himself.

“Bro, I’m not third-wheeling your date. I’ll get Bitty to tell me something cool to do, or I can find somewhere to work on my paper.”

Brunch is easier than their last dates. Maybe they’re both getting less nervous, but Ransom thinks it’s more that sitting in a restaurant isn’t as nerve-wracking as being alone in Tater’s apartment. It’s warm enough that they can walk around, but the problem with that is that Ransom really wants to hold Tater’s hand and he can’t. So, he blames the cold and suggests they go back to Tater’s apartment.

“No pressure. Let’s just actually watch a movie or something,” Ransom suggests. They go through Netflix and cuddle on the couch until Ransom realizes Tater has drifted off to sleep. He should wake Tater up, but instead, he turns down the sound and carefully shifts around until he’s comfortable enough to take a nap.

When Ransom wakes, Tater’s sitting up watching the movie again with Ransom’s head against his thigh. It’s a part Ransom’s already seen so he takes his time waking up and snuggling closer to get comfortable.

“Sorry I fall asleep,” Tater whispers. “Playoffs use up so much energy. Too used to getting a nap.”

“I wasn’t complaining,” Ransom says. It’s nice to just sleep with someone. Obviously, he slept with March not long ago, but she could never sleep if they were pressed too close together. They always moved to opposite sides of the bed early in the night. Ransom’s comfortable and Tater doesn’t complain, so they finish the movie like that.

“Come to game three on Wednesday or you have class?” Tater asks after the movie is over.

“I can. I’ll have to go straight to the game and home soon after, but I can make it. Bitty has class Thursday too, so he’ll be glad he has a ride.”

“I get ticket,” Tater says. He leans down for kiss. It starts like just an afterthought, but Ransom sits up to follow his lips when he starts to move away.

“I’ll still see you somehow before I leave. Even if it’s just a few minutes.”

Tater nods and kisses him again. It’s hot but it’s also an awkward angle, so Ransom pulls back and rearranges so he’s straddling Tater’s lap and pushing him back against the sofa as they make out. Tater’s hands travel down his back and settle just above his ass. Ransom whines and moves closer because he definitely wants Tater’s hands to actually be on his ass. It gets the result he was going for but it also gets more pressure on his dick. That’s not bad, but Ransom’s not sure how far Tater wants to take this. He pulls back to ask and Tater kisses down his neck.

“Fuck.” Ransom says instead of trying to form real words. He relaxes into the feel of Tater’s lips until he realizes he should probably stop rolling his hips if they’re not taking clothes off for this. He forces himself to slow down and put some space between them.

“You’re amazing and obviously I want to keep doing this, but I’m not sure we should,” Ransom says. Tater lets out a sad moan and presses his face into Ransom’s neck.

“With you is much better,” Tater says. “Is maybe same to you if like women, but feels different.”

“I like both, but it’s still different,” Ransom says. “I think different people are always different.”

Ransom laughs and adds, “And I’m a 6’2” hockey player. Even every guy I’ve ever hooked up with was smaller. It’s new. It’s kind of cool. I don’t have to worry I’ll break you.”

“No. Not break easy,” Tater says and laughs.

“How do you feel about ordering food instead of going out?”

“You not want me take you out?” Tater asks.

“I kind of don’t want to move that much further away from you than this,” Ransom says. “And I’m a college student. Ordering food instead of begging Bitty to feed me or making noodles in the microwave is fancy to me.”

“How you make noddles in microwave?” Tater asks.

“I’ll teach you another day. It’s a very important thing you learn in college.”


	2. Chapter 2

By the time they finish eating, Ransom has to admit that it’s really not fair to make Holster wait any longer to go home. They both need to study for finals and Tater has practice in the morning. They still spend enough time saying goodbye at the door that Holster, Jack, and Bitty chirp him about how long it took him to get to Jack’s apartment after he told Holster that he was coming to get his stuff.

**Tater:** Is it bad to say miss you already?  
**Ransom:** I miss you too.  
**Tater:** I talk to Jack. He say Marty good right away when he tell about Bitty. I think maybe I tell him. Is okay?  
**Ransom:** It’s up to you. If you want to tell him, that’s okay with me.  
**Tater:** Is harder to keep secret now. Want to tell my friends about you.  
**Ransom:** You should tell him if you want to.

“Why do you look sad?” Holster asks. “I can’t chirp you about texting your boyfriend already if you’re going to be sad.”

“Can you not tell Bitty?”

“I’m offended you doubt my ability to keep your secrets.”

“I’m not. I’m just mentioning it so that you know.”

“Okay then.”

Holster hits his arm without looking away from the road when Ransom doesn’t explain right away.

“Tater wants to tell Marty about us. I told him it was okay.”

“Is it not okay?”

“No. It is. It’s just that I’m out. I _don’t_ care if he tells people.”

“But?”

“I can’t ask to tell the frogs so he can stay at the Haus and when we move, Shitty and Lardo won’t know, so he still won’t be able to stay over. He’s not out and he’s risking a lot more. So I get why I have to wait for him to be ready to trust more of my friends, but it kind of sucks.”

“Why am I not telling Bitty specifically?”

“I don’t want to hear him say ‘I told you so.’ At least not until we’ve actually decided we’re boyfriends.”

“_Dude_. Tater is obsessed with you. If you ask him, he will say he wants to be your boyfriend immediately.”  
Ransom shrugs but he can’t help smiling.

***

**Tater:** Marty ask if you come to dinner. Maybe after next round. For me is not big deal if you don’t want.  
**Ransom:** It’s not a big deal? Does that mean you don’t want me to go?  
**Tater:** I want if you want.  
**Ransom:** Sure. I’m in. 😊  
**Tater:** )))

***

**Tater:** Zimms say Bitty come to game 3. You come?  
**Ransom:** I have a final. : ( Bitty’s done.  
**Tater:** Is okay. Game 5? Is not far. Get Holster a ticket.  
**Ransom:** I’ll ask Holster. But yeah. Okay.

Ransom ends up graduating and moving to Boston before he sees Tater again. It sucks, but at least game five is close enough for them to travel. Tater insists on getting both his and Holster’s tickets even though Bob is handling Bitty and Shitty’s tickets.

“Dude. This is awesome. Your NHL boyfriend is way cooler than Bitty’s.”

Ransom laughs.

“I’m glad you can be bought with playoff tickets.”

“I will take the playoff tickets. If he breaks your heart, I’m kicking his ass. Jack will deal.” Holster says as Shitty comes running down the sidewalk. They’re lucky that Lardo is busy and didn’t question why no one got her a ticket. Then again, their story that Tater just got _that_ close to Ransom and Holster in two weeks is probably a bit weak.

“Let’s go!” Shitty yells before the car door is even closed behind him.

***

They go out with the team right after the game. Shitty has class in the morning and Ransom and Holster have job interviews. It’s the worst timing because they can’t come up with an excuse to get away at all.

“Watching you guys is actually painful,” Holster whispers when Tater gets dragged away again because everyone thinks Ransom is just Jack’s friend. They’ve hugged once. Ransom hates everything.

Eventually Shitty brings up that they have to leave soon. Law school _has_ changed him. Jack comes by to say goodbye and Ransom doesn’t even know where Tater is.

“He’s in the bathroom. Go. Marty’s guarding,” Jack says when he hugs Ransom.

Ransom mumbles to Shitty that he needs the bathroom and takes off without waiting for a response.

“Try to make it quick boys.” Marty claps Ransom on the shoulder as he goes by.

“So sorry. I want to get more time than this,” Tater says as soon as Ransom comes in.

Ransom shakes his head and goes for a kiss. It’s as good as he remembered.

“You have weekend off, yes?” Tater says when he pulls back.

“Yeah. We’ll figure it out.” Ransom kisses him again. They can figure out the details after Ransom leaves. There’s a knock on the door. Ransom pulls back when it’s obvious Tater isn’t going to.

“Friday is just a couple days. Friday, okay?” Ransom says and leans back in for a kiss as Tater nods. Then he makes himself pull back. He thanks Marty on the way out without looking at him. He barely knows the guy so it’s a little weird to know that Marty knows they were probably making out in the bathroom.

***

The car is quiet on the way home. Too quiet. But Shitty doesn’t say anything, so Ransom doesn’t either.

**Ransom:** Does Shitty know??  
**Jack:** Maybe. But he didn’t ask. If he didn’t ask me, I don’t think he’s going to ask you guys.  
**Jack:** And he knows the laws in Russia. He’s not going to say anything if he knows.  
**Ransom:** Have you told Tater?  
**Jack:** There’s nothing to tell him. Shitty hasn’t said anything.  
**Jack:** I don’t think he’ll be upset if you want to tell him. He likes Shitty. He knows Shitty knows about me and hasn’t told anyone.

***

**Ransom:** I think Shitty suspects about us. He didn’t say anything, but he was a little weird.

Tater doesn’t answer right away. There’s a lot of possible reasons. He might’ve left the bar. He might be asleep.

**Tater:** Is okay if you want to tell him. And girlfriend. Zimmboni says he’s sure will be okay.  
**Ransom:** I don’t have to.  
**Tater:** We talk about it Friday?  
**Ransom:** Sure.

***

Ransom tries not to worry. It’s just a couple days. Tater has a day to rest and then practice. He never stops answering Ransom’s texts. They make plans for dinner, and on Friday, Ransom drives to Providence. He tries not to worry. But that’s like throwing water all over a grease fire once his anxiety starts thinking for him.

Ransom really doesn’t mind having take-out in Tater’s apartment. Especially not when Tater’s talked Bitty into giving him a pie for dessert.

“I ask Bitty what restaurant,” Tater says after he greets Ransom with a kiss.

“It’s great. It’s great.”

“Something wrong?” Tater stops piling food onto plates and looks at him again.

Ransom shrugs. Tater comes over to him palms Ransom’s cheek.

“Лучик, something wrong?”

“I guess I’m just worried that you’re upset about Shitty. I don’t want you do feel like you have to let me tell him. We haven’t even really said what this is yet.”

“I ask Zimmboni about it. But he was very sure. He say Shitty never even say anything unless you tell first, but he thinks is a good idea. Is your roommate. And friend. I tell Marty because I want him to know. I never say you can tell Shitty if is not okay with me. You want tell Shitty and Lardo. Is okay. I not say if I not mean. I know was hard after the game. And does not help we have to keep secret. You can tell them.”

Tater pulls Ransom into his arms and Ransom breathes him in.

“You should tell me if you upset.”

“It’s just I know it’s stupid. You never said anything was wrong. But then I just start freaking out for no reason.”

“Zimmboni has problem too. Is okay. I tell him team can’t help if he say nothing. Can’t help you if you say nothing.”

Ransom nods into Tater’s chest. It still sucks that he can’t just be normal, but he really does know better.

“You think maybe you tell Shitty that you my boyfriend?”

“Yeah. That’s definitely what I want to do.”

***

Once Ransom calms down, dinner is just as great as it was the other times. Tater tells him about Russia while Ransom tries to explain that Toronto is a completely different kind of place than where Jack grew up in Montreal. They take their pie to the couch because there’s only so much Ransom can pretend to be an adult even if he knows he’s supposed to really be one now.

“You come to watch the game at Zimmboni’s on Tuesday, yes?” Tater asks.

“Yeah. I’ll have to go home after because I have a job interview on Wednesday, but we’ll be close to your apartment at least.”

“Marty want to know if you come to dinner tomorrow. Is okay if is too soon. You make lots of trips already.”

“I can come. I’m not that far. I don’t exactly have homework anymore.” It’s hard to be intimidated. Marty already obviously likes him.

“If feel like is so much harder for you.”

Their pie plates are empty so Ransom puts them away and turns on the couch so he can face Tater.

“We talked about this. It’s the Stanley Cup playoffs. You can spoil me all summer if you want.”

“I spoil you all summer.”

Tater leans back on the couch and pulls Ransom to him. The couch still isn’t big enough, but it almost works if Ransom lies on top of him while they make out.

It’s amazing until Tater flinches away.

“Sorry. Bruise.”

Ransom pulls Tater’s shirt up to reveal a dark bruise on his side. He leans down and kisses the edge of the bruise. Tater sucks in a breath, but when Ransom looks up, it’s obviously not from pain. He smiles and pulls Tater’s shirt back down.

“I don’t want to hurt you. What if we move this to the bed so we have more space but agree in advance that we’re not doing more than this?”

An hour later, Ransom’s week is catching up with him, but he doesn’t want to leave Tater’s arms.

“Stay. We sleep. Not sure how I am to share bed with, but Zimmboni say I don’t snore.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Ransom snuggles closer.

Tater’s chest shakes with laughter before he slides out from under Ransom even though Ransom makes a weak attempt to pull him back.

“I get you something to sleep in.”

“Just pants?” Ransom says as he throws off his shirt.

“You make hard to sleep.” Tater’s staring at him and holding a pair of pajama pants.

“Oh. I usually sleep without a shirt. Is that okay? I get hot when I sleep.”

“Is okay. Will be okay soon. I go brush teeth. Find you extra toothbrush.”

Ransom changes while Tater’s gone and then takes his turn in the bathroom before climbing back in bed. Tater spoons around him immediately.

“Is okay?”

“Yeah. Perfect.”

***

Tater wakes Ransom up when he leaves to go to practice, but Ransom goes back to sleep. He’s still exhausted from the stress of finals and there’s nothing else to do. When he wakes up, he has two texts from Tater.

**Tater: ** Zimmboni say you be fine on your own and Bitty is home if you get bored, but I think I should check up anyway. Should be here until about 2 or 3. Depends on if Zimmboni want more practice.  
**Tater: ** Hope I not wake you up if you’re still sleeping.  
**Ransom: ** Just woke up. I texted Bitty. We’re going to get food and be lazy while you guys are working. Don’t worry about me. <3 I know Jack. You’ll be a while.

Bitty takes him to the best coffee shop in the neighborhood because he understands Ransom’s priorities.

“Marty’s real excited to have you over. And Gabby’s great. They got a babysitter just in case. They just don’t want to worry about him accidentally saying something about Tater having a boyfriend.

Ransom shrugs. He likes kids just fine, but he doesn’t get excited about them as much as Bitty does.

“Jack said you’re going to tell Shitty and Lardo.”

Ransom nods.

“I don’t know how you kept it up so long,” Ransom admits.

“I think it was both easier and harder. You guys knew Jack so it wasn’t like he couldn’t visit everyone and sneak up to my room. I’m not out to my parents anyway, so that doesn’t matter. But not telling you guys, that was the worst.”

“Yeah…”

“Just talk to him about it. Don’t be me and act like you’re fine until you leave him a sobbing voicemail while he’s on an airplane and freak him out so that he drives to Samwell in the middle of the night.”

“Neither of us are that dramatic.”

Bitty gives him a look, but he lets Ransom change the subject to their search for a roommate in Boston.

***

The dinner at Marty’s is easy enough. Marty already likes him. Gabby and Bitty fill any potential awkward minutes with their small talk. It’s so causal that Ransom’s surprised to get cornered by Marty at the end of the night.

“I’m not here to make any threats,” Marty says right away. “The kid made me promise not to before he helped me distract Tater.”

The fact that “the kid,” means Jack is Ransom’s favorite thing about Marty. Ransom’s already itching to find a way to tell the group chat how Marty basically considers Jack a child.

“I really like him,” Ransom says even though Marty didn’t actually threaten him.

“I can tell. We’ve just worried about him. We didn’t know what was going on with him, but we knew it had to be something. It never made any sense for him to be alone so long when he obviously didn’t want to be, but he’s refused to let anyone set him up. When he started looking at his phone like that and then he wouldn’t tell us why, we weren’t sure what to think. But then you started showing up, and well, Gabby put it together first to be honest. She’s a bit quicker with things than the rest of us.”

“Should we worry other people will figure it out?”

“No one who will be a problem. We know how much pressure he’s under. And I know it can’t be easy on you either. I’ll keep an ear on the guys who might be a problem. We can all lead them the wrong way if we need to. I’m glad he told me. Anything we can do to help you both, you let us know, okay?”

Ransom is kind of relived when Tater comes to rescue him then. He’s grateful but he feels like he doesn’t know Marty well enough for this conversation.

“Why you try to harass my boyfriend?” Tater asks as he comes back into the living room.

“I’m not. I’m promising to find him old pictures from your rookie year that the media doesn’t have. Snowy has that compilation video he made of every time you fell. I’m getting a copy.”

***

Watching the Schooners game at Jack’s apartment a few days later is only torturous half the time. It sucks that he has to pretend to just be Jack’s friend who’s becoming Tater’s friend, but Holster, Shitty, and Lardo are there to help. Technically, they don’t really do much, but Bitty was right. Just being able to exchange a frustrated glance with a friend when someone talks about wanting to set Tater up with a girl helps Ransom relax.

But he doesn’t really relax until they’re able to sneak off to Tater’s apartment. They should probably talk about it, but Ransom has been standing around wanting to kiss Tater for _hours_, so he pushes Tater against the door and attacks his mouth instead. Knowing that he can’t spend the night, that they don’t have time to do much before Ransom has to leave, makes him bolder. He’s not going to let their first time be a rushed moment against Tater’s front door, but Ransom has no problem leaving him with a memory for later. It’s possible listening to someone trying to set Tater up also made him a little possessive.

“You try to kill me.”

“I want to make sure you don’t forget me in Seattle.”

“Not possible.”

Tater’s hands are wandering under Ransom’s shirt when Ransom’s phone goes off. He rarely keeps the sound on, but he flipped it on so Holster could tell him when they were ready to leave. As much as he wants to be irresponsible, Shitty has classes to worry about and Ransom doesn’t feel like he should stay over when Tater’s expected back at the party.

“You’re going to be amazing. I’ll watch every game.”

***

Watching the Falconers lose the first two games in the series is bad. Tater gets both him and Holster tickets to the third game at home when they’re back in Providence and even though Ransom only gets to see him for a few minutes, he declares Ransom good luck and insists on getting him a ticket to game four.

Game four ends with Ransom not even celebrating the win. Because Jack is busy and no one else has Ransom’s phone number. Everything with Tater is new, but Ransom’s anxiety makes it worse. Tater’s tough, but that almost makes it worse that he had to have help off the ice.

**Bitty: ** I’m sorry, but if it helps, none of the Wags would have news about their guy this soon anyway unless it was really bad. He went off the ice himself so it’s not as bad as that. But Gabby will try to find something out for you.  
**Ransom: ** It’s Holster. We’re out in the stairs. Ransom needed air.  
**Bitty: ** Do you want me to come out?  
**Ransom: ** No. Watch the game. Let us know if you know something. Tell Gabby thanks.  
**Bitty: ** I will.

Bitty and Gabby come out to meet them after the arena has cleared out.

“He might actually get to text you before Jack even knows anything,” Bitty says and in the end, he’s not wrong.

**Tater: ** Sorry if you worry. Lower body injury. Out for the season. But will be ok.  
**Ransom: ** When can I see you?  
**Tater: ** Not until home. They take me to hospital. Is ok if you need to go back to Boston.  
**Ransom: ** I’m not leaving until I see you. If you want me to stay, I’ll stay.  
**Tater: ** I want.  
**Ransom: ** Tell me when you’re on your way home and we’ll go over there if Jack’s not ready yet.

They end up just waiting for Jack who doesn’t know anything extra.

“Holster can crash with me,” Jack says before they even ask, so they end up waiting in Jack’s apartment until they finally get a text from Tater that one of the trainers is bringing him home. Jack goes downstairs to meet him, and Ransom has to wait for a text to come over.

Tater’s on the couch with a brace on his knee when Ransom comes in with Holster and Bitty. Jack’s warming up something for him to eat. Ransom sits on the couch carefully and leans over to hug him.

“Will be okay. Much better now,” Tater says as Ransom holds him. “So sorry you worry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Ransom doesn’t want to leave him, so he sits on the floor next to the couch.

“Can’t play anymore,” Tater says when Jack hands him the dinner that he heated up.

“It sucks, but we’ll fight for you. You got us this one.” Jack tells him. “Eat and sleep.”

Jack says the last part half to Ransom and then claps his hand on Tater’s shoulder. Bitty promises to bring by a pie tomorrow and then they’re left alone.

“Want shower, but too tired.” Tater says after he finishes eat. “Almost too tired to move.”

“I can help. If you want.”

They haven’t even had sex, but it’s not like they aren’t both used to naked guys in locker rooms.

“Not how I expect to get you in shower.”

“It’s okay. I want to be here.”

It’s awkward helping Tater undress, but he’s so obviously exhausted, that Ransom doesn’t even get hard from being naked with him for the first time. The shower in Tater’s guest bathroom doesn’t have a tub, so Ransom helps him in and lets Tater lean against him while they leave the door half open so Tater can keep his injured leg out of the shower. They get water everywhere, but no one gets hurt, so Ransom’s willing to call it a win after Tater is clean and tucked into bed wearing only a pair of boxers because it’s too much work trying to get anymore clothes on him.

“Thank you,” Tater says after Ransom gets in bed next to him. “Would be worse have to make Zimmboni help me. He probably get me a chair and leave me in the shower.”

Ransom can’t believe Tater’s actually trying to make him laugh.

“Not that I want you to be upset, but you don’t have to pretend for me.”

Tater threads their fingers together.

“For me, I am sad. But last time, when I sprain ankle, I move in with Marty. Then hire nurse. Is better this time. To not be alone.”

“Let me know if you get tired of me, but I can stay and help for tomorrow at least.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do also post fic to another site. That link can be found as the website link on this twitter: https://twitter.com/XGrimmReaper33  
I'm also on tumbler as @lostinanimage
> 
> Most of that is Kent stuff but hey, I can be persuaded to write more of this probably. They are so cute! And this fic does post earlier there.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all my other fics, I just write the playoffs the way that the NHL does them, but for this one I had to write them the way Ngozi writes them. (Supposedly she arranges them like the NBA playoffs, but I already learned one sport for this fandom and I’m not learning a second sport just so I can write hockey incorrectly.) Honestly, after writing this while having all the relevant comics open on my tablet so that I can try to make sense of it, I’m still confused. Either she has them wearing the wrong jersey colors so that home and away are reversed or that’s not Jack’s apartment in the panel of him and Bitty in between game six and seven and he’s breaking away from the team by sleeping with Bitty in between two away games.
> 
> tl:dr: I swear I know how NHL playoffs actually work and I don’t think Jack would ditch his team in between away games in the Stanley Cup finals but I had to make a choice here and I’m super annoyed by it. Like I know I spent way more time learning hockey than probably necessary but also, you can read a summary of the playoffs and how they work on Wikipedia and I just pull it up every time I write them. It’s not that difficult. I know I've made other mistakes (though I've gone back and edited them out where I could), but this one is not a difficult one to research. Anyway, I realize I'm the only person who cares probably, but I would be annoyed if someone read this and just thought I can't do my research.

Ransom starts out thinking that Tater will be sick of him in a day. Maybe that would’ve happened if things were different. But knee injuries are awful, and Ransom would rather help Tater get dressed and take showers than have someone else do it. Ransom hates passing Tater off to Jack to go to Seattle.

“Just fly out with Bitty,” Jack says. “Text him and he’ll handle it. Consider it a favor to me so I don’t have to help Tater shower.”

**Tater** Zimmboni say he tell you to come, but maybe you think I not want. I want. If you have time.  
**Ransom:** I want to. I can come with Bitty. Shitty’s flying in right before the game with everyone else anyway. Bob’s making sure we’re all there.

***

Jack says he’s making an exception to the rules after they lose game six because there’s really no reason Tater should have to have Jack helping him get dressed and shower when Ransom’s in the same city.

“He just wants to be with Bitty,” Ransom says as he curls into Tater’s side.

“He blame himself. Not tie the game to get to overtime. No one else tie game either.”

“Bitty says he’s going to sleep without Jack. Apparently, he’s gotten good at it.”

“One more game. Either way,” Tater says. “But only this year. Next year. We try again if we win or if we don’t win.”

***

Snowy pushes Tater around the rink in a chair for his lap with the Stanley Cup. Ransom gets to Jack first because it’s just easier. Bitty breaks off and races toward Jack before Ransom can even find Tater in the crowd. Maybe there’s just enough people on the ice that know to move for him, but Ransom thinks he’s just used to using his size to weave through hockey players.

They’re already kissing when Ransom finds them in the crowd again. That answers who will be the first NHL player to be out.

Ransom finds Tater in the crowd and they exchange a look past Jack and Bitty. It’s not going to be like that for them, but Ransom doesn’t want the attention anyway.

Holster comes with him to meet Tater while a crowd gathers around Jack and Bitty. Holster helps pull Tater up from his chair and gives him a quick hug first before passing him off to Ransom. The one upside of Tater’s knee is that it gives him an excuse to lean on Ransom.

“Sorry we can’t—” Tater starts but Ransom interrupts him.

“Don’t be. I don’t really want to be on TV like that.”

Ransom’s out, but he already has his Instagram and Twitter locked. Bitty and Jack obviously haven’t thought this through.

“They’re both impulsive in different ways,” Holster says. “Together it’s worse.”

“But a little romantic,” Tater says.

“Maybe a little.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short because all these things are covered in cannon and I didn’t want to totally skip them, but I needed to get past them. Sorry if there are extra mistakes in this. I read it again but my brain is just not all there tonight. The next chapter will hopefully be longer. I'm working on it right now.
> 
> I do also post fic to another site. That link can be found as the website link on this twitter: https://twitter.com/XGrimmReaper33  
I'm also on tumbler as @lostinanimage
> 
> Most of that is Kent stuff but hey, I can be persuaded to write more of this probably. They are so cute! And this fic does post earlier there.


	4. Chapter 4

It takes a week for the Falconers to calm down their Stanley Cup celebration. Maybe Ransom is just old because even after having years of Samwell kegsters, he taps out after the second day. Tater can’t drink as much as everyone else while he’s still on some pain pills and Jack _won’t_ drink that much, but they’re part of the team and Ransom’s not, so they want to be there for everything. Shitty says Jack’s more drunk on winning the Cup than he is on actual alcohol. Shitty’s probably right because no one seems worried about Jack drinking too much. Plus, there’s just too much attention on everyone. After Bitty locks up his social media, people start following Jack’s friends. Ransom’s always had his account locked, but the last thing he needs is people noticing that he’s around the team more than the rest of Jack’s friends.

But Tater still needs help at home, so Ransom makes sure he’s at the apartment at the end of the day.

“Is not fair to you,” Tater says after they’re in bed together at the end of the week. “Can’t be what you want in relationship.”

“It’s crazy right now. And it’s not your fault that it’s extra crazy.”

“Can’t be mad at Zimmboni. Will help a lot of people. Force hockey to be more open.”

“I’m kind of mad at him anyway. I know it’s good for people if he’s out because he’s good enough that they can’t just push him out of the league. I know it’s up to him and Bitty when they want to come out. But now people that don’t even care about hockey are watching everything his friends do. They’re asking if he hooked up with Kent Parson when he came to visit. I don’t even know the answer to that and if I did, I wouldn’t answer. Jack’s out and that’s up to him. No one else signed up for this.”

“If you need break—” Tater says, but Ransom interrupts him.

“I don’t need a break. I just want to rant about Jack and Bitty being impulsive and dramatic and ridiculous. They’re my friends and I love them, but if my parents found out that I was bi because I kissed a guy on national TV, they’d murder me.”

“You out? To your parents?”

“Yeah. I told them I was dating someone who wasn’t out so I couldn’t tell them who. They called me the day after the game and asked if it was Jack and he left me for Bitty. Which is just wrong on so many levels.”

Ransom’s expecting a laugh, but Tater doesn’t laugh.

“Can’t be out. Can’t take you to Cup parties. Can’t let you tell your parents about me. Can’t even do anything because knee is broken. Why you even want to be with me?”

“Hey.” Ransom turns on his side and runs his hand over Taters face. “None of these things are your fault. I’m happy to have an excuse to not subject you to my parents yet. They’re kind of ridiculous. Seriously. I haven’t let them meet anyone I’ve dated in college. They will love you, but there are so many people in my family. Even Holster gets overwhelmed by them.”

Tater almost smiles, but it falls.

“It’s not your fault things are crazy. It’s not your fault that you’re hurt.” Ransom props himself on one elbow so he can look down at Tater when Tater won’t turn to look at him.

“I like you,” Ransom says. “A lot. I know that the idea is that we get to know each other and fall in love and then by the time anything gets hard, we’ve got all that great stuff to think about to get us through it. But sometimes people get hurt. And sometimes people’s dumbass impulsive friends decide to kiss on national TV. But I don’t want to give up just because we’re doing the harder stuff first, okay?”

Tater doesn’t answer him. Instead, he reaches up to put his hand behind Ransom’s neck to pull him into a kiss. The kiss intensifies and Tater’s hands travel down his back to his hips. Tater’s injured but he hasn’t lost his hockey muscle. Tater manhandles him so that he’s straddling Tater’s good leg. Ransom pulls back from the kiss breathing hard.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Almost two weeks. Can almost walk with brace. Stay off bad leg, be fine.”

Ransom’s not a saint and he’s been helping Tater shower and get dressed without doing anything for so long. Also, it’s not fair that Tater’s wearing a shirt while Ransom’s not, so Tater has an advantage. Ransom ignores Tater’s protests when he pulls away and just keeps pulling on Tater’s shirt until he gets it off.

Everything feels like it’s moving so fast after over a week of trying not to get too worked up because of Tater’s injury. Especially considering that before the injury, they hadn’t even taken each other’s clothes off. Maybe seeing each other naked outside of a sexual situation has made everything less scary. Either way, when Tater slips his hand under Ransom’s pajama pants to palm his ass, Ransom has to pull back and take a deep breath to keep himself from coming in his pants.

“Are you okay with me taking these off?” Ransom asks. He’s not sure exactly where they’re going besides something that leads to orgasms, but he’d rather not ruin his pants.

“Yeah. Want to see you.”

Ransom climbs off Tater to take off his pants because he doesn’t trust himself not to bump Tater’s hurt leg. Then he looks down at Tater’s boxers.

“And yours?” Ransom would rather take them of in a more sexy way, but it’s so much of a battle to get anything on and off Tater’s leg that it’s not going to work that way.

Tater laughs and nods.

“After we work so hard to get them on.”

Ransom laughs and then they have to work together to get Tater’s boxers back off. When Ransom finally tosses them off the bed, he’s kneeling between Tater’s legs. He makes eye contact as he leans down and kisses Tater’s thigh right above his good knee and then crawls up to kiss him again a few inches higher.

“Tell me if it’s too much.”

Tater nods and keeps looking at him with awe as Ransom keeps kissing up his leg. When Ransom stops above his cock, Tater reaches down to cup his cheek. He doesn’t pull or push Ransom’s head, but he keeps his hand on Ransom’s cheek as Ransom takes him in his mouth.

It’s probably not Ransom’s best blowjob. Tater’s bigger than he’s used to and Ransom’s always been picky about not putting his mouth on a dick that he doesn’t know well, so it’s been a few years since he’s done this. But Ransom maintains that there’s not really such a thing as a bad blowjob. When Tater comes, his hand falls from Ransom’s cheek to clutch his bicep.

Ransom kisses up Tater’s chest until Tater recovers enough to pull him up for a kiss.

“Maybe I can…if you kneel above me?”

Ransom doesn’t hate the idea, but he knows Tater’s never given a blowjob, and he thinks Tater should have a bit more control over it the first time he tries. He takes lube out of the bedside table and hands it to Tater.

“Your hand is good. I like your hands.”

It’s not Ransom’s full reason, but it’s not a lie. Tater has amazing hands. Ransom loves holding them and how strong they feel on his body. His not surprised it feels just as amazing when Tater has a hand on his dick. Ransom’s been worked up for what feels like forever, so he’s not going to be embarrassed when he comes in only a few minutes.

“Can you sleep nude?” Ransom asks while he’s still breathing hard on Tater’s chest. “I’m not sure I have the energy to get your boxers back on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never have never had an injury like this one and obviously the comic doesn't give details so I'm just going off of the kind of brace Tater is wearing in one of the panels. Conveniently, my friend has a knee injury and she is documenting her entire healing process on instagram and saving everything related in her highlights. Thankfully, she puts up with me being like, "So...sex-wise, what are the position options available to you?"
> 
> Also, I'm expanding this verse, so it seriously needs an actual name for this verse. Any ideas?


	5. Chapter 5

Ransom wakes up to Tater watching him. Tater stokes his fingers down Ransom’s cheek.

“So beautiful.”

Ransom hides his face in Tater’s chest. He never knows what to say when Tater calls him beautiful. Tater’s hands ghost over his skin and it’s almost enough to fall back asleep.

“Have PT. We try to bend leg more today. But you stay in bed,” Tater says.

“Tempting, but I think you need to shower before you go anywhere.” Ransom’s comfortable, but they only did the absolutely necessary clean up the night before.

“Can manage alone,” Tater says as he slides out from under Ransom. “Not going to mind company though.”

***

**Holster:** I got offered a job! Check your messages. I know we both interviewed there.  
**Ransom:** I did too! We’re taking it, right?  
**Holster:** Unless you’ve decided to be a professional WAG. Which I’d totally get honestly.  
**Ransom:** Shut up.  
**Holster:** Just saying, you haven’t been home in a while… ; )  
**Ransom:** He’s injured. He needs help.  
**Holster:** Uh huh.  
**Ransom:** Shut up. I accepted the job.

***

Telling Tater that he’s going back to Boston sucks. It’s stupid because they haven’t been dating for long enough for him to be living in Tater’s apartment, but he’s gotten used to falling asleep with Tater every night.

He waits until Tater is back home and settled into bed. Tater’s determined to be back on the ice for the beginning of the next season, but his physical therapy takes so much out of him that he Ransom doesn’t want to leave him.

“Is okay. For me, is expected. I know you make Zimmboni check on me.”

Ransom lies down next to him and snuggles into Tater’s side.

“Jack owes me. I’m going to make him give you all of Bitty’s pies.”

Tater laughs.

“I can ask myself, but will be okay. Next time I see you, knee be much better. Very impressive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have been stuck on this chapter for so many reasons. I debated going back and ending at the next chapter and deleting this, but I decided to do a tiny chapter instead.
> 
> I’m going to switch points of view and do a little time jump here because I’m changing cannon after this point. This story is not over. It’s just Tater’s turn to talk. 😉

**Author's Note:**

> I do also post fic to another site. That link can be found as the website link on this twitter: https://twitter.com/XGrimmReaper33  
I'm also on tumbler as @lostinanimage
> 
> Most of that is Kent stuff but hey, I can be persuaded to write more of this probably. They are so cute!


End file.
